Discovery BoxJoshua 18:11--19:51
Context18:11 The first lot belonged to the tribe of Benjamin 1 by its clans. Their allotted territory was between Judah and Joseph. 2 18:12 Their northern border started at the Jordan, went up to the slope of Jericho 3 on the north, ascended westward to the hill country, and extended to the desert of Beth Aven. 18:13 It then crossed from there to Luz, to the slope of Luz to the south (that is, Bethel), 4 and descended to Ataroth Addar located on the hill that is south of lower Beth Horon. 18:14 It then turned on the west side southward from the hill near Beth Horon on the south and extended to Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a city belonging to the tribe 5 of Judah. This is the western border. 6 18:15 The southern side started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and extended westward to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. 18:16 The border then descended to the edge of the hill country near the Valley of Ben Hinnom located in the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. It descended through the Valley of Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites to the south and then down to En Rogel. 18:17 It went northward, extending to En Shemesh and Geliloth opposite the Pass 7 of Adummim, and descended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 18:18 It crossed to the slope in front of the Arabah to the north and descended into the Arabah. 18:19 It then crossed to the slope of Beth Hoglah to the north and ended at the northern tip of the Salt Sea 8 at the mouth of the Jordan River. 9 This was the southern border. 18:20 The Jordan River borders it on the east. These were the borders of the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans. 10
18:21 These cities belonged to the tribe 11 of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho, 12 Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, 18:22 Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 13 18:23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 18:24 Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba – a total of twelve cities and their towns.
18:25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 18:26 Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, 18:27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 18:28 Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city 14 (that is, Jerusalem), 15 Gibeah, and Kiriath – a total of fourteen cities and their towns. 16 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin 17 by its clans.
19:1 The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. 18 19:2 Their assigned land included 19 Beer Sheba, 20 Moladah, 19:3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 19:4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 19:5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, 19:6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen – a total of thirteen cities and their towns, 19:7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan – a total of four cities and their towns, 19:8 as well as all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the land assigned to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. 21 19:9 Simeon’s assigned land was taken from Judah’s allotted portion, for Judah’s territory was too large for them; so Simeon was assigned land within Judah. 22
19:10 The third lot belonged to the tribe of Zebulun 23 by its clans. The border of their territory 24 extended to Sarid. 19:11 Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near 25 Jokneam. 19:12 From Sarid it turned eastward 26 to the territory of Kisloth Tabor, extended to Daberath, and went up to Japhia. 19:13 From there it crossed eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin and extended to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. 19:14 It then turned on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. 19:15 Their territory included Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; 27 in all they had twelve cities and their towns. 28 19:16 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun 29 by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
19:17 The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar 30 by its clans. 19:18 Their assigned land 31 included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 19:19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 19:20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 19:21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 19:22 Their border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. They had sixteen cities and their towns. 19:23 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Issachar 32 by its clans, including the cities and their towns.
19:24 The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher 33 by its clans. 19:25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, 19:26 Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal. Their border touched Carmel to the west and Shihor Libnath. 19:27 It turned eastward toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El to the north, as well as the Valley of Emek and Neiel, and extended to Cabul on the north 34 19:28 and on to Ebron, 35 Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 36 19:29 It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, 37 turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Aczib, 19:30 Umah, Aphek, and Rehob. In all they had 38 twenty-two cities and their towns. 19:31 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Asher 39 by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
19:32 The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali 40 by its clans. 19:33 Their border started at Heleph and the oak of Zaanannim, went to Adami Nekeb, Jabneel and on to Lakkum, 41 and ended at the Jordan River. 42 19:34 It turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, extended from there to Hukok, touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan 43 on the east. 19:35 The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, 19:36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 44 19:37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 19:38 Yiron, 45 Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. In all they had 46 nineteen cities and their towns. 19:39 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Naphtali 47 by its clans, including the cities and their towns.
19:40 The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan 48 by its clans. 19:41 Their assigned land included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 19:42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 19:43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 19:44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 19:45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 19:46 the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory in front of Joppa. 19:47 (The Danites failed to conquer their territory, 49 so they went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. They put the sword to it, took possession of it, and lived in it. They renamed it 50 Dan after their ancestor. 51 ) 19:48 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Dan 52 by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
19:49 When they finished dividing the land into its regions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun some land. 53 19:50 As the Lord had instructed, they gave him the city he requested – Timnath Serah in the Ephraimite hill country. He built up the city and lived in it.
19:51 These are the land assignments which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders 54 made by drawing lots in Shiloh before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 55 So they finished dividing up the land.
[18:11] 1 tn Heb “and the lot came up for the tribe of the sons of Benjamin.”
[18:11] 2 tn Heb “and the territory of their allotment went out between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph.”
[18:12] 3 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[18:13] 4 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[18:14] 5 tn Heb “sons,” here referring to the tribe.
[18:19] 8 sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea.
[18:19] 9 tn Heb “to the tongue of the Salt Sea to the north, to the end of the Jordan to the south.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity (also in the following verse).
[18:20] 10 tn Heb “This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin by its borders round about, by their clans.”
[18:21] 11 tn Heb “the sons,” here referring to the tribe.
[18:21] 12 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[18:22] 13 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[18:28] 14 tn The word “city” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[18:28] 15 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[18:28] 16 tn The structure of this list presents problems. In v. 28 no conjunction appears before “Haeleph” or “Kiriath” in the Hebrew text. This suggests they should be compounded with the preceding names, yielding “Zelah Haeleph” and “Gibeah Kiriath” respectively. This results in a list of only twelve cities, however, while the summary statement (v. 28) gives the number fourteen. One should note, however, that the city lists in chap. 15 do not consistently use the conjunction before the name of each city. See also Josh 19:7, where no conjunction appears before “Rimmon,” but the summary assumes that Ain and Rimmon are distinct.
[18:28] 17 tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin.”
[19:1] 18 tn Heb “and the second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans.”
[19:2] 19 tn Heb “and they had in their inheritance.”
[19:2] 20 tc The MT has “and Sheba” listed after “Beer Sheba.” The LXX suggests “Shema.” The Hebrew text appears to be corrupt, since the form “Sheba” duplicates the latter part of the preceding name. If Sheba (or Shema) is retained, the list numbers fourteen, one more than the number given in the concluding summary (v. 6).
[19:8] 21 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon.”
[19:9] 22 tn Heb “from the portion of the sons of Judah was the inheritance of the sons of Simeon for the portion of the sons of Judah was too large for them, and the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.”
[19:10] 23 tn Heb “and the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun.”
[19:10] 24 tn Or “inheritance.”
[19:11] 25 tn Heb “in front of”; perhaps “east of.”
[19:12] 26 tn Heb “eastward toward the rising of the sun.”
[19:15] 27 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[19:15] 28 tn Heb “Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem, twelve cities and their towns.” The words “their territory included” and “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[19:16] 29 tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun.”
[19:17] 30 tn Heb “the fourth lot came out for the sons of Issachar.”
[19:18] 31 tn Or “their inheritance.”
[19:23] 32 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar.”
[19:24] 33 tn Heb “and the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Asher.”
[19:28] 35 tc Some Hebrew
[19:28] 36 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[19:29] 37 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[19:30] 38 tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[19:31] 39 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher.”
[19:32] 40 tn Heb “the sixth lot came out for the sons of Naphtali, for the sons of Naphtali.”
[19:33] 41 tn Heb “and their border was from Heleph, from the oak of Zaanannim, and Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel to Lakkum.”
[19:33] 42 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.
[19:34] 43 tc The MT reads “Judah, the Jordan”; the LXX omits “Judah.” Perhaps there was a town named Judah, distinct from the tribe of Judah, located near the northern end of the Jordan.
[19:36] 44 map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.
[19:38] 45 sn Instead of Yiron some English translations read Iron.
[19:38] 46 tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[19:39] 47 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali.”
[19:40] 48 tn Heb “the seventh lot came out for the sons of Dan.”
[19:47] 49 tn Heb “the territory of the sons of Dan went out from them.”
[19:47] 50 tn Heb “Leshem.” The pronoun (“it”) has replaced the name “Leshem” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[19:47] 51 tn Heb “according to the name of their father.”
[19:48] 52 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan.”
[19:49] 53 tn Heb “an inheritance in their midst.”
[19:51] 54 tn Heb “the leaders of the fathers of the tribes.”
[19:51] 55 tn Heb “at the entrance of the tent of assembly.”
